Dungannon Spring Sale

Delight for William and Keith as Rehall herd tops Simmental Show and Sale

Report by Robert Forde NI Club PRO

Following on from a tremendous February Simmental sale at Perth, Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders Club members saw averages greatly increased at their Annual Spring Show and Sale in Dungannon Farmers Mart on Monday evening, 6th April 2009.

With an excellent show of quality stock this annual club fixture is widely recognised as a unique opportunity to acquire bloodlines which have hitting the headlines across the water. Attracting vast attention resulting in a packed gallery and viewing from a considerable distance for many, sale ring proceedings saw bull prices increase to average £2450, up some £450 on the year. Underpinned by an outstanding show of quality commercial breeding heifers which peaked at £1400 twice and to an average of close to £840 each for some 51 heifers sold it demonstrated the desire of the province’s suckler farmers to have Simmental in their herds.

William and Keith Stubbs’ Rehall herd from Irvinestown, certainly took the show and sale by storm. Having been awarded the Supreme and Male Championship for Rehall William, by judge William Ferguson earlier in the evening, the father and son departed the sale ring delighted when their Hillcrest King sired bull realised the evening’s top price of 5100 gns. Born in January 2008, from the homebred Sterling Flint sired cow, Rehall Sophie, their sale topper sold to John O’Rawe, Gracehill, Ballymena.

Pat and Frank Kelly travelled from Tempo with an entry of two bulls from the Ashland Herd. The third prizewinning Ashland Victorious, sired by Raceview King and from the Raceview Nigel daughter, Ashland Rosy sold for 4200 gns to Alan McFarland, Omagh, while his herdmate, the winner of the red rosette in class two, Ashland Vince 2nd sold for 3000 gns to John McCloskey, Claudy. Vince was bred from the Freighduff Brendan daughter, Ashland Pretty Lucy and sired by Camus Pioneer.

David Hazelton, Dungannon, saw the best on offer from his Ranfurly herd also peak at 3000 gns. This was for the second prizewinning Ranfurly Vitalis V25 – sired by Salisbury Challenger, Vitalis boosted a +10 for milk, and from the Balist daughter Ranfurly Kleeb 7th, he sold to George Quinn, Upper Ballinderry, Lisburn. Another second prizewinner, Ranfurly Victorious V26 sired by Haxent and bred from similar dam lines to the herd’s top price bull, he sold to David Foster, Derrylin, for 2800 gns. The Ranfurly herd sold five bulls to average 2300 gns.

Cecil McIlwaine, the newly installed N.I. Simmental club chairman together with son Neil, travelled from Newtownstewart, with the Corrick herd’s sole bull entry, Corrick Wonderboy. Sired by Kilbride Farm Newry, this second prizewinning son of the Sterling Flint sired Darsham Mirabelle sold for 2800 gns to W. R. McFarland, Omagh.

The October 2007 born Camus Vincent came up trumps for Joe and May Campbell, Strabane, when their Brinkton Brilliant sired son sold for 2600 gns to Edward O’Hagan, Drumlea, Omagh.

In the pedigree female section, trade was once again topped by William and Keith Stubbs. This time around it was the yearling maiden heifer, Rehall Winnie which led the way in the sale ring at 3300 gns. Sired by Kilbride Farm Newry and from the homebred Hillcrest King sired Rehall Sian, Winnie sold to Jonathan Farrell, Markethill, Co. Armagh.

Lifting the Reserve Championship and best opposite sex to the champion was Corrick Vida, exhibited by the McIlwaine family. This Derrycallaghan Hamilton daughter was much admired in show and sale ring before selling for 3100 gns to Ken Clarke, Tynan.

Kenneth Veitch, having enjoyed summer show success with Drumlone Wisteria at the World Congress event in Omagh back in June, collected a third prize ticket this time around before selling his Celtic Starbuck sired daughter at 2500 gns to John Glasgow, Cookstown.

Overall thirteen pedigree heifers averaged £2000, up some £350 on the year.

Trade for the entry of 50 commercial maiden heifers resulted in a tremendous average of £840 per head.

Leading the way at £1400 was one of an entry of seven choice heifers from the Killadeas farm of Kenneth Stubbs, which averaged was an impressive £990 each. His sale topper weighed in at 450 kgs (£311.10 per 100 kgs) closely followed by 450 kgs £1100 and 450 kgs £1060.

A sole entry from Norman Reid, Lisnaskea, also sold at £1400. Victor Graham, Tempo, exhibited three quality heifers to average £1020 each, to a peak of £1060 twice.

Robert Mawhinney, Draperstown, saw his entry of seven sell to a top price of £1040 (420 kgs) and average a highly creditable £875.

Meanwhile, Frank Cunning saw his sole entry reach £1000.

Thanks are extended to the Northern Bank for their generous sponsorship of the event.

Results from the judging ring:

BULLS
Class 1: 1st, Joe Wilson, Ballinalare Farm Virgil; 2nd, David Hazelton, Ranfurly Vitalis; 3rd, David Hazelton, Ranfurly Venus.

Class 2: 1st, Pat Kelly, Ashland Vince; 2nd, David Hazelton, Ranfurly Victorious; 3rd, Jonathan Fowler, Moss View Victor.

Class 3: 1st, M/s. William and Keith Stubbs, Rehall William; 2nd, Cecil McIlwaine, Corrick Wonderboy; 3rd, Pat Kelly, Ashland Victorious.

Class 4: 1st, Robin Boyd, Slievenagh Wayne; 2nd, Norman Weatherup, Slimero Warrior; 3rd, Adrian Richardson, Cleenagh Woodpecker.

HEIFERS:
Class 5: 1st, Cecil McIlwaine, Corrick Vida; 2nd, Eamon McCloskey, Drumagarner Vanilla; 3rd, Kenneth Veitch, Drumlone Wisteria.

Class 6: 1st, M/s. William and Keith Stubbs, Rehall Winnie; 2nd, Leslie Weatherup, Lisglass Winsone; 3rd, M/s. William and Keith Stubbs, Rehall Wendy.

Supreme and Male Champion, M/s William and Keith Stubbs, Rehall William;

Reserve Champion and Best Opposite Sex, Cecil McIlwaine, Corrick Vida.